Suffer the Little Children
by TrunksZero
Summary: A child must take up his father's cross to stop Knives once and for all.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: Trigun and all logos, character names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Pioneer Entertainment. Any similarity to any other fanfic is totally coincidental.  
  
Trigun - Suffer the Little Children: Chapter One  
  
"I didn't want to die this way!" His arm fell to the floor. His cigarette dropped from his mouth. Nicholas D. Wolfwood was dead. His body left knelt clinging to his Cross Punisher.  
  
It was the hardest thing Millie had ever gone through. The one man she loved was dead before they had been able to live their lives together. The only thing that kept her going was Vash, Meryl and the most precious thing Nicholas left behind, their son, Damon Nicholas Wolfwood. Millie thanked her lucky stars for that one night they had together. Her love for family deepened now that she had her own child.  
  
After the final battle with Knives, Millie decided to go to December and care for the children at Wolfwood's orphanage. Not wanting to leave her best friend, Meryl pleaded with her boss, which begrudgingly agreed, to let her transfer to the insurance branch in December. Vash came with Meryl, who married a few months after they moved. Vash became the sheriff of December, and began to live the peaceful life he always wanted to. Knives came along with Vash, but still hating the "human garbage", lived on the outskirts of December. After two years of philosophizing, Vash was finally able to convince Knives that humans weren't all that bad. Knives left December to go on a journey to cities with dysfunctional Plants. There he would revive and release his "sibling" and find the town alternate means of industrialization.  
  
Unfortunately, when Damon was 7, tragedy struck.. 


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Trigun and all logos, character names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Pioneer Entertainment. Any similarity to any other fanfic is totally coincidental.  
  
Trigun - Suffer the Little Children: Chapter Two  
  
"Mommy, where are you?" cried little Damon. "In the kitchen, sweetie," replied Millie. Damon rushed in and hugged his mother. "What's wrong, Damon?" "I cut my leg, it hurts!" Millie looked down and saw blood running down his leg. She grabbed a rag, wet it, cleaned the cut and bandaged it. She then kissed the bandage, "There ya go. All better!" Every time she looked into Damon's eyes, she could see Nicholas staring right back.  
  
"Son, did any of the children see you crying?"  
  
" *sniff* I don't think so, Mommy."  
  
"Damon, listen to me. You're a big brother to all these children. And they shouldn't see their big brother cry. If they do, they might lose faith in you. You're MY son, and you have to help me protect them. And part of protecting them is being brave in front of them. Since your father isn't here," Millie stopped and wiped her eyes, "you're the man of this place, ok?  
  
Damon didn't like to see his mom cry. It made him feel guilty. "Don't worry Mommy, I'll be a man and protect you and everyone, just like Daddy!"  
  
It took everything she had to hold the tears back, "Thank you, Damon. Now run along and get the children ready for supper." Damon nodded and ran off. Millie went back to preparing supper. "I hope your watching him in heaven, dear; he's very special, just like his Daddy."  
  
Then one of the orphans, Allie, ran in, "Millie! Millie! There's a scary man outside. He hurt Joseph and he's chasing after Damon!"  
  
"What!" Millie screamed, "Allie keep all the children inside and don't go out, understand?"  
  
"Uh-huh," Allie began herding the children into the living room.  
  
Millie ran and grabbed her trusty Stungun. She busted outside to see Damon huddled over Joseph and a strange man bent over breathing heavy.  
  
"Damn, kid. You're pretty quick," then the strange man noticed Millie, "Hey! There's the bitch of this garbage heap." He raised his gun and pointed it at Millie. The gun looked familiar to her. And then it hit her. It was just like Vash's! But it was a different color.  
  
"Watch your mouth in front of my babies, your jerk!" Millie raised her Stungun and fired. The stranger reached out and grabbed the "stunner" and threw it back and hit Millie, throwing her back and into the ground.  
  
"How dare you hurt my Mommy!" Damon ran up to the stranger and with all his might uppercutted him straight in the crotch. The man dropped his gun and curled up in a ball, holding himself. Damon ran back to Millie. "Are you ok?" "Yes sweetie, I'm all right."  
  
After a few moments of grunting, the man slowly stood up and picked up his gun. He pointed it at Damon. "You little shit. You just sentenced the entire orphanage to death!" Damon watched in horror as the man's gun shot off it bolts and top cover, revealing a swirling pellet shooting off electricity. The man's arm then grew into a gruesome indescribable mass with a giant glowing ball in the middle of it.  
  
"Mommy, what is that?!" Damon screamed. "Don't look son." Millie covered her son's eyes. She knew exactly what it was. An Angel Arm. Vash had shown Meryl and her once when he was telling them everything about Knives and him. But how could have another Plant been set free? The only one who knew how to do that was Knives...  
  
"Bwahahaha!" The stranger let out an eerie laugh and began charging his Angel Arm. But before he could fire, bullets began piercing through his arm. It reverted back to normal. He turned to see a man with orange sunglasses and blonde spiked hair. He began trembling as he realized it was Knives' brother, Vash the Stampede!  
  
Vash then fired his gun again. The bullet hit the gun's pellet and the gun exploded. Vash then reloaded and shot the man in various spots. The man fell down and went unconscious. 


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Trigun and all logos, character names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Pioneer Entertainment. Any similarity to any other fanfic is totally coincidental.  
  
Trigun - Suffer the Little Children: Chapter Three  
  
"I see you have failed me. It's a pity, really. I thought you deserved the existence I gave you. I guess I'll just have to take it back. Heh heh heh. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. AH HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"  
  
"NO KNIVES! PLEASE DON'T" He sprung awake clawing at the air. Breathing and sweating heavily, he sat up. It was just a dream. He looked out the window to see children playing. He smiled. "Wait a minute. What am I smiling for?" he thought, "Humans only bring sadness and destruction. But the ones outside playing, they are exactly opposite, full of happiness and life."  
  
"So, you're finally awake."  
  
Startled, he turned to see the blonde hair man who shot him, standing in the doorway. Vash pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat down.  
  
"How are you feeling?" asked Vash.  
  
"Uh...the wounds are still kinda sore. Why do you care?"  
  
"Judging by the way you were looking at the children just a minute ago, I don't think you were acting on your own free will yesterday."  
  
He looked down, ashamed.  
  
"I'm pretty sure you know who I am. What's your name?"  
  
"My name...my name is Asher."  
  
Vash gave Asher a stern look. "Well then, Asher, I have to ask you something, how would you like to have some of these delicious donuts?!" Vash's face gleamed as he pulled a tray of freshly baked donuts from behind him.  
  
Asher looked in disbelief as he saw the legendary Vash the Stampede gorge himself like pig into the pile of baked goods.  
  
"C'mon now. They're really yummy. You have to be hungry. It's been 12 hours since you passed out," Vash said with crumbs of donuts spewing out of his mouth.  
  
Asher reluctantly grabbed a donut and bit into it. With that first explosion of flavor, he swiped the entire tray from Vash and began inhaling every single crumb. Vash began to whine, "Hey! Haven't you ever heard of sharing?" But before he could grab another one, Asher had devoured the entire pile.  
  
"So why did you come here yesterday?" Vash asked, beginning his interrogation again.  
  
Asher began to stare out the window again. "He said it was necessary. In order for the Plant race to survive, humans had to be eliminated. So I was given the order to dispose of all of the orphanages. I-I have-I have already destroyed 2 orphanages." Asher broke into tears, but he didn't know why.  
  
Damon stood eavesdropping outside the door. "What's with this guy," he thought, "yesterday he was going to hurt everyone. And why did mommy insist on helping him?"  
  
"Damon! WHAT are you doing?" Damon froze and slowly turned around to see his mother standing over him. "I, uh, I wanted to, uh, I wanted to see if, uh, there were any donuts left! Yeah that's it. I wanted a donut!" "Nice try, mister. I believe you have some chores to do. Right?" "Uh, oh ok. Sorry mommy." Millie bent down rubbed his hair, "Its ok sweetie. I'm sure you were just concerned. Now go along."  
  
As Millie walked into the room with Asher and Vash, Damon pretended to walk outside and tiptoed back to do some more spying.  
  
"I'm so glad you're awake. Did you enjoy my special homemade donuts?"  
  
Asher blushed, "Y-Yes I did. Thank you. But why are you being so nice to me? I tried to kill you."  
  
"Well, if Mr. Vash trusts you, then so do I. But I'm still kinda angry for what you did to Joseph."  
  
"Oh no! I forgot about him. Is he ok? I'm so sorry!"  
  
Surprised to see his concern, she replied, "He's still unconscious, but he's ok."  
  
"That's good." There was a silence and then, "What is to become of me?"  
  
Vash stood up, "Well that depends entirely up to you. What do you want to do?"  
  
Asher looked out the window again to see the children playing. "I would like to stay here actually. I must repay you for the awful things I did and for you kindness. Please let me stay. Knives only taught me anger and sadness. I want to learn to be happy, like them," He nodded to the children outside and smiled.  
  
Damon couldn't believe what he was hearing. If his mom wanted him to protect them, how was he supposed to do it with the enemy living with them? Vash began to walk out of the room and tripped on Damon. As Vash crashed to the ground, Damon froze and his eyes widened. Oops. His cover had been blown.  
  
Vash rose to his feet, "OOOWWWW! Damon what are you doing?" "Excuse me young man!" Millie stood towering over Damon, "I don't think any of your chores requires you to be near this room!" Damon shrieked and ran outside to quickly begin his chores.  
  
Later that day, after making sure everything was ok, Vash returned to December. During the next week, Asher made repairs to the orphanage, learned how to cook and played with the children. He had never been so happy. "How could Knives want to destroy anything like these children? They don't pose a threat to anything," he thought to himself.  
  
Although the other children loved him, Damon couldn't quite let his guard down around him. But after a month, Damon slowly started to come around.  
  
One evening, Asher was sitting outside staring into the horizon. Millie came out and sat down next to him. "I brought you a cup of coffee." "Oh thank you." Millie smiled and handed him the cup. Asher took a sip and grinned. Everything this human woman did was always too good. "You know, Asher, your welcome to stay here as long as you like. It's great having another man around the house." Millie blushed, "Uh, I mean I really appreciate all you've done." Asher turned and smiled at her.  
  
Damon sat inside watching his mom and Asher. "He better not try anything on my mom," he thought, "she belongs to me and dad and no one else!"  
  
Asher and Millie stared at the sunset, too nervous to say anything to each other. Millie turned to look at Asher and was startled. He was breathing heavy and gritting his teeth. He was very angry. "Asher, what's wrong?" "I- It's him. He's coming. That bastard's coming for me." Millie looked to the place where Asher was staring and could barely see the figure of a man walking towards the orphanage. Asher jumped up. "Millie, you have to get all the children to safety. NOW!" Millie nodded and ran into the house. "Damon! Help me get the kids into the shelter!"  
  
Damon and Millie herded the kids into the underground shelter. "Oh no!" Millie screamed, "I forgot about Joseph!" "Don't worry, Mommy I'll go get him!" Damon began running back to the house. "Damon, wait! Oh, please be careful." On the first day Asher had come to the orphanage, he had given Joseph a severe head wound that caused him to randomly pass out for hours on end. Damon was about to grab him when he looked outside to see Asher talking with another guy. His curiosity overcoming him, Damon crept up to the window to listen.  
  
"Knives, what are you doing?" growled Asher.  
  
He smirked, "To do what I've been telling you every night in your dreams," he pulled gun out and pointed it at Asher, "to take back the existence I gave you." 


End file.
